Best and Worst Moves the New York Jets Have Made in Free Agency
For 40 years, the New York Jets have been searching for an answer at one position: quarterback.
In 2015, the Jets made the moves that suggest they've found it. Yet, they haven't.
It would be difficult to argue that either Ryan Fitzpatrick or Geno Smith is the answer, but with high-profile signings in Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie and the trade for Brandon Marshall, the Jets look like they're all-in for 2015.
That being said, the offseason isn't only about the moves you make—it's about the ones you don't make too. And the Jets have failed to address some key positions this offseason that could come back to haunt them.
Here's a look at some of the best and worst moves of the Jets' offseason so far.
Best: Signing Darrelle Revis
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There's definitely more than one perfect fit for cornerback Darrelle Revis, but with so much money on the table in the first three years of his contract, there was no better fit this offseason for one of the best cornerbacks to ever play the game.
Regardless of the guaranteed $39 million, the Jets made the right move to sign Revis. The importance of shutdown cornerbacks in Todd Bowles' system cannot be overstated, and Revis is the best one right now. He allowed only 51.8 percent completions into his coverage last season and ranked third in the league with one completion allowed per 14.8 coverage snaps, according to ProFootballFocus.com.
Bringing him back to the fold is a good storyline for the New York media, but more importantly, it's an even better fit for the New York Jets.
Worst: Not Adding an Outside Linebacker
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It's not always the signings that turn out bad; sometimes, it's the non-signings. The Jets may regret their inaction at outside linebacker.
For the past two seasons, outside linebackers Calvin Pace and Quinton Coples have been the starters on the edges of the Jets' 3-4 defense. The two have not necessarily been a bad pair, but the fact that they're the Jets' only real options makes this situation a bit hairy. At 34 years old, there's no telling when Pace will drop off the cliff; he's been productive despite declining skills in the past couple of seasons, but he's been mostly reaping the rewards of a talented defensive line.
The Jets missed out on a number of high-profile 3-4 outside linebackers, including Pernell McPhee, Brian Orakpo, Brooks Reed, Jabaal Sheard and Akeem Ayers. There is still time to add a pass-rusher in the draft, but if the Jets don't, they could be looking at a one-man show on the edge.
Best: Signing Antonio Cromartie
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Some things in life are automatic: blinking, breathing and washing your hands after using the bathroom (hopefully). The Jets' signing cornerback Antonio Cromartie was on a level with any of those.
Cromartie wanted to come back to New York and rejoin his old defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. Coach Bowles wanted his man back, and the Jets needed help at cornerback. That being said, the Jets had just dealt with a season of hip injuries that marked a dramatic downturn in Cromartie's performance in 2013. Can they really trust that the 30-year-old can continue to hold up?
The answer: They don't have to. The Jets covered their bases to make sure they won't be tied to a massive contract for years to come. According to Spotrac, Cromartie is making only $7 million in guaranteed money, and all of it is in the first year of his deal.
If Cromartie continues to play at the high level he showed last year (one reception every 12.4 coverage snaps, which ranked 10th in the league, per ProFootballFocus.com), the Jets could continue to keep him around beyond 2015 at zero risk; if he doesn't, the Jets can cut ties in 2016 at zero penalty.
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Worst: Signing Marcus Gilchrist
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Make no mistake: Safety Marcus Gilchrist is not a bad player. He has a niche role as an in-the-box run-defending safety, and he's good at it. Unfortunately, his talents are a clash with 2014 first-round pick Calvin Pryor, who is exactly the same kind of player.
The Jets didn't get a good read on Pryor's ability because he was asked to play out of position for most of the 2014 season; do they expect that to change with Gilchrist in the picture? Or will Gilchrist be the one who is playing out of position, therefore making his four-year, $22 million contract an epic waste of money?
Perhaps Todd Bowles has envisioned some defense that employs two strong safeties crushing running backs and jarring passes loose over the middle, with zero deep help from the safeties. The Jets could feasibly be successful with this defense, since their cornerbacks are so good, but at some point, someone is going to have to roam deep.
Whether it's Gilchrist or Pryor, he'll have to do something that is not in his wheelhouse.
Best: Trading for Brandon Marshall
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OK, so it's not a free-agency move, but we can't ignore this trade.
Sometimes, the best moves are also the ones that have the most potential to backfire.
The Jets traded a fifth-round pick to the Chicago Bears for wide receiver Brandon Marshall. On its own, the Jets look like they're making out like bandits on this deal, swapping a pick that will most likely land a backup/special teamer for an established wide receiver with seven 1,000-yard receiving seasons in his career.
That being said, Marshall has also been traded three times since 2007, so he brings enough baggage to suggest that he may drag the Jets down at some point.
If he can get along with his quarterback, if even for only a year or two, the Jets made a great move—and at 31 years old, it's hard to say for certain that he'll even be playing at a high level much longer than that.
Worst: Not Adding a 3rd-Down Running Back
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Take nothing away from Jets running backs Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell—they are more than capable as between-the-tackles hammers, but the Jets are missing the lightning to complement their thunder in the offensive backfield.
Ivory ranked fifth out of 42 running backs in ProFootballFocus.com's elusiveness rating index, a measure of a back's ability to create missed tackles and to break tackles while gaining extra yards. Powell did not carry the ball enough to qualify. And the two of them combined for only 29 receptions out of the backfield in 2014.
The Jets need a back who can come in on passing downs, pick up blitzes, run patterns, catch passes and create big plays in the passing game. In short, they need what they were hoping Chris Johnson would be before they cut him.
Unless otherwise noted, all advanced stats provided by ProFootballFocus.com; all quotes obtained via team news release; all salary-cap and contract information provided by Spotrac.com.
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